Book 3, Chapter 4 – Appalachian Trail – Kinsman Notch to Webster Cliffs, NH – July 30-August 6, 2021 – 50.4 miles

I finally finished the Presidential Range of the White Mountains of NH on the AT this past week. Another 50 miles knocked off. This is known as some of the hardest parts of the AT. It certainly has boosted my confidence to face whatever is next that’s for sure!

I hiked with 2 new hiking partners and wonderful ladies. This was our “home base” cabin we were blessed to use for free for the week.

This is the view from the cabin which sits on the border of NH and ME. This allowed us the opportunity to see the country side as we drove to and from the trailhead on several days. I just absolutely LOVE this whole surrounding area.

We started our week off with a day loop hike to capture a 6.4 mile section of the AT that each of us missed when hiking with the Adventure group several years back. This was a hard section for me as I don’t like to have to climb rock faces on all 4’s — and there were several on this part. We summited Mt. Webster and Mt. Jackson — Jackson is one of the 48 4,000+ footers that are famous in NH. If my count is correct I have summit

Eager to let this adventure begin!

We did it — tackled Webster Cliffs!

This was just the beginning of many gorgeous views we had this trip.

· Looking down over Crawford Notch

I love the under growth in the alpine regions

summit #1!

Learning to accept climbing on all 4’s!

Lynn climbing up on all fours!

Yep, that’s the Trail! I came to (not so) fondly refer to these as “spider man” climbs, of which we had many.

We also came to accept that THIS was going to be the Trail for the next 7 days!

This is known as a “fir wave” — a natural occurrence where older trees get knocked down by wind, each other and other natural elements which then makes room for the young trees below them to receive sunshine and grow.

If you look closely you can see me coming up around the miniature fir trees — on all 4’s of course!

I believe this is Mt. Jackson, the 1st of the 4,000+ footers we tackled this week.

Sometimes the safest and wisest way to come down is on your butt!

Alpine bog

A bog board on top of the alpine zone.

And our treat for one day down and 6 to go was dining on some of the local fare — it was delicious!

If we weren’t climbing rock faces and boulder fields we were tromping through LOTS of mud! After a few days we realized it was easier on the feet and the mind to just walk through the mud rather than trying to rock hop our way up the Trail!

Days 2 & 3 were spent on what we felt was the hardest part of this section, if not the entire Trail so far for me (although I still have some tough sections ahead of me!) and that was South & North Kinsman. Straight up boulder climbs and rock face climbs.

Mary fighting her way under a fallen tree…

Jackie fighting her way under a fallen tree…

Lynn finding the smart way — around the fallen tree!

Our tent site for the night at Eliza Brook shelter. (Mine is the red & white one)

It rained pretty hard through the night leaving all the streams rushing pretty good — including one we had to ford right out of the gate the next morning. The good news is, with the exception of a little rain on top of one of the Kinsmans this day, that was the ONLY rain we had the entire week — nothing but mild temps, low winds, clear views and sunshine the rest of the week! Thank You Lord for answered prayers!

Now to tackle the streams and muddy trail — and climbs up and down!

The Trail ran alongside of these waterfalls almost to the top — indicative of all the rain we had the day and night before.

Wet Trail…

muddy trail…

Marshy Trail

bolder field climbs up and down. This trip was the turning point for each of us that we preferred going UP as opposed to going DOWN! Ouch, the knees started telling on us going down!

This was me thanking Lynn for lending me a hand and a hiking stick hold to get up over the hardest rock face I have faced to date. I was a bit rattled and tremendously grateful to her!

Mary on top of North Kinsman Mountain

Me on top of North Kinsman Mountain

Yes, that was the Trail — we found ourselves hiking DOWN waterfalls on several occasions this trip! And at other times the Trail just followed streams down hill — like this one!

Me maneuvering downstream that was the Trail

This was a pond at one of the Huts we stopped at for lunch — Lonesome Lake Hut.

This was an easy access Hut for locals and day hikers — people stay here and swim in the lake.

Yes, this is the Trail, and is the Trail the majority of the time.

This is looking at Mt. Webster. We left our car here the morning of Day 4 and were shuttled back down to where we finished the day before at Liberty Springs trailhead. We would hike 4 more days Hut to Hut and finish back here on the end of Day 7.

Love knowing this history! Much older than the AT — I always have this false impression that the AT came first and everything else followed, but that’s simply not the case — especially in NH & Maine

Day 4 – climbing up Franconia Ridge — this is what I was looking forward to the most (being on top of the ridge, not the climbing!)and my prayers were answered! Gorgeous day above tree line with views as far as you could see!

Hiking up to Franconia Ridge…

On top of, I believe Mt. Lincoln on the Ridge.

Happy Campers!

We hiked that entire ridge, it was AWESOME!! That is Mt. Lafayette in the distance. To learn how this mountain got its name and a history lesson I learned, be sure to read Book #3 of the Trilogy!

I could have stayed up there forever!

That’s where we came from…

Yes, that’s the Trail! There is a white blaze somewhere painted on one of those boulders!

The Trail — if you look closely about 1/2 way down on the left is a white blaze…

Summit of Mt. Lafayette

About the middle of the ridge in this pic is the Hut we were heading to for the night — another 1 mile down (and of course back up in the morning!) off Trail to get to it – but worth it!

Hiking a mile down to the Hut

It felt like the longest mile (well, actually they were ALL very long miles!)

little mushrooms growing on the tree 🙂

still a long ways off!

getting a little closer…

Made it! A view from the Hut – the evening sun hitting the Ridge.

Good morning from Greenleaf Hut — heading back up there in a little bit.

“This is the day the Lord hath made, I will rejoice and be glad in it!” That was the song that went through my heart every morning!

Over Mt. Garfield

down and up …

Up and down…

Looking back over the Kinsmans which we did not like!

Made it to the top of another one!

Lynn with the Kinsmans & Mt. Lafayette in the background

Me with the Kinsmans & Mt. Lafayette in the background

Mary heading down to the next Hut…

Down to the next Hut…

The Trail…

Galehead Hut.

Weary, but happy campers in front of Galehead Hut.

“Dirty Girls” (the brand of our gaiters) 🙂

And back at it for Day 6. This was the norm of what we hiked up and down for 6 days.

Reaching South Twin Mountain.

Summiting another 4,000+footer

coming down off of South Twin

Boulder Field — this reminded me of hiking over Mt. Madison several years back, mostly because there was not much of a semblance of Trail to be had — a hike I would never want to relive.

Heading towards our last Hut for this trip — Zealand Falls…

And SOMETIMES the Trail can look like this!! Nature’s sidewalk!

Evening view, looking out from Zealand Falls Hut.

The end to yet another beautiful day!

Zealand Falls Hut.

Sun rising over the Falls — the beginning of our last day — ahhhh…

Now this is more like it!!

a view of a pleasant stream and swimming hole.

The last day was the easiest, 7.8 miles — smooth Trail, gradual down, pleasant temps — couldn’t ask for a better ending!

Stroll across a lovely bridge…

Moose print!

Celebratory dinner

I have now officially completed the Presidential Range in the White Mountains of NH. Some more hard parts to come, but I will face those when the time comes. For now, I have completed 1,575 miles on the AT. Plan to do another 58 miles in the fall to finish up my 8th season of section hiking leaving approx. 547 miles left to go. Until next time ~~ “Kool 91”